Sono-coprecipitation synthesis and physicochemical characterization of CdO-ZnO nanophotocatalyst for removal of acid orange 7 from wastewater

Enhanced mitigation of acidic and basic dyes by ZnO based nano-photocatalysis: current applications and future perspectives

Dye wastewater possess immense toxicity with carcinogenic properties and they persist in environment owing to their stability and resistance to chemical and photochemical changes. The bio degradability of dye-contaminated wastewater is low due to its complex molecular structure. Nano-photocatalysts based on zinc oxide are reported as one of the effective metal oxides for dye remediation due to their photostability, enhanced UV and visible absorption capabilities in an affordable manner. An electron-hole pair forms when electrons in the valence band of ZnO nano-photocatalyst transfer into the conduction band by absorbing UV light. The review article presents a detailed review on ZnO applications for treating acidic and basic dyes along with the dye degradation performance based on operating conditions and photocatalytic kinetic models. Several acidic and basic dyes have been shown to degrade efficiently using ZnO and its nanocomposites. Higher removal percentages for crystal violet was reported at pH 12 by ZnO/Graphene oxide catalyst under 400 nm UV light, whereas acidic dye Rhodamine B at a pH of 5.8 was degraded to 100% by pristine ZnO. The mechanism of action of ZnO nanocatalysts in degrading the dye contamination are reported and the research gaps to make these agents in environmental remediation on real time operations are discussed.

Advances in ultrasound-assisted synthesis of photocatalysts and sonophotocatalytic processes: A review

Water pollution and the global energy crisis are two significant challenges that the world is facing today. Ultrasound-assisted synthesis offers a simple, versatile, and green synthetic tool for nanostructured materials that are often unavailable by traditional synthesis. Furthermore, the integration of ultrasound and photocatalysis has recently received considerable interest due to its potential for environmental remediation as a low-cost, efficient, and environmentally friendly technique. The underlying principles and mechanisms of sonophotocatalysis, including enhanced mass transfer, improved catalyst-pollutant interaction, and reactive species production have been discussed. Various organic pollutants as dyes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and emerging organic pollutants are targeted based on their improved sonophotocatalytic degradation efficiency. Additionally, the important factors affecting sonophotocatalytic processes and the advantages and challenges associated with these processes are discussed. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of sono-assisted synthesis and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants and prospects for progress in this field.

Fabrication of an effectual, stable and reusable Mg-doped CdAl2O4 nanoparticles for photodegradation of toxic pollutants under visible light illumination

The water contamination caused by discharging extensive organic dyes stuff into water bodies is one of the utmost significant concerns disturbing the environment and human life. CdAl₂O₄ spinel materials have been excellent in the elimination of emerging pollutants by the photocatalysis route. These materials, when altered through methods namely doping with Mg ions, have benefits over CdAl₂O₄, especially reduced energy gap and light absorbed in the visible region. The XRD established the creation of space group R 3‾ with no other phase step being found. The photoluminescence outcomes indicated that Mg-doped CdAl₂O₄ nanoparticles had the preventing e^--h⁺ recombination possibility, which was favorable for the photocatalytic process. The Mg (0.075 M)-doped CdAl₂O₄ catalyst had higher photocatalytic performance with 94 and 96% removal of two azo (BB and BG) dyes under a mere 90 min visible light irradiation, which indicated enhanced Photodegradation behaviors when compared to other Mg (0.025, 0.050 M)-doped and pure CdAl₂O₄ materials. More interestingly, pH 5 was optimum for the Mg (0.075 M)-doped CdAl₂O₄ samples photodegradation of both dyes, and the optimum catalyst amount was 5 mg/100 mL. The doped Mg ions influenced the elimination of both dyes by inducing the manufacture of more active species. The Mg (0.075 M)-doped CdAl₂O₄ samples is reusable and highly stable with only a 5% reduction in degradation rate after six cycles. Based on the quencher and ESR investigations, the ^.OH^- and h⁺ are described as active species in the removal reaction. We hope our present examinations highlight the possibility of using Mg (0.075 M)-doped CdAl₂O₄ product for a broad range of photodegradation applications, also it may be applied for several ecological remediations, surface cleaning devices, foods and pharmaceutical industry applications.

Constructing the Sulfur-Doped CdO@In2O3 Nanofibers Ternary Heterojunction for Efficient Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production

An S-doped CdO@In₂O₃ nanofiber was successfully designed by in-situ electrospinning along and subsequent calcination treatment. Under artificial sunlight illumination, the S/CdO@In₂O₃-25 displayed a superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 4564.58 μmol·g^-1·h^-1, with approximately 22.0 and 1261.0-fold of those shown by the S/CdO and S/In₂O₃ samples, respectively. The experimental and theoretical analyses illustrate that the unique one-dimensional (1D) nanofiber morphology and rich oxygen vacancies optimized the electronic structure of the nanofibers and adsorption/desorption behaviors of reaction intermediates, contributing to the realization of the remarkable solar-to-H₂ conversion efficiencies. Moreover, the staggered band structure and intimate contact heterointerfaces facilitate the formation of a type-II double charge-transfer pathway, promoting the spatial separation of photoexcited charge carriers. These results could inform the design of other advanced catalyst materials for photocatalytic reactions.

Nanomaterials as a sustainable choice for treating wastewater

Wastewater containing toxic substances is a major threat to the health of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In order to treat wastewater, nanomaterials are currently being studied intensively due to their unprecedented properties. The unique features of nanoparticles are prompting an increasing number of studies into their use in wastewater treatment. Although several studies have been undertaken in recent years, most of them did not focus on some of the nanomaterials that are now often utilized for wastewater treatment. It is essential to investigate the most recent advances in all the types of nanomaterials that are now frequently employed for wastewater treatment. The recent advancements in common nanomaterials used for sustainable wastewater treatment is comprehensively reviewed in this paper. This paper also thoroughly assesses unique features, proper utilization, future prospects, and current limitations of green nanotechnology in wastewater treatment. Zero-valent metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, especially iron oxides were shown to be more effective than traditional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for recovering heavy metals in wastewater. Iron oxide achieved 75.9% COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal efficiency while titanium oxide (TiO₂) achieved 75.5% COD. Iron nanoparticles attained 72.1% methyl blue removal efficiency. However, since only a few types of nanomaterials have been commercialized, it is important to also focus on the economic feasibility of each nanomaterial. This study found that the large surface area, high reactivity, and strong mechanical properties of nanoparticles means they can be considered as a promising option for successful wastewater treatment.

Heterogeneous activation of persulfate by Bi2MoO6-CuS composite for efficient degradation of orange II under visible light

Here in, a special catalytic system of potassium persulfate (K₂S₂O₈, PS) activated by Bi₂MoO₆-CuS composite was established for the orange II (OII) degradation under visible light. The Bi₂MoO₆-CuS composite was synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal and solvothermal methods. The structure, morphology, light absorption and photocatalytic properties of the composite were respectively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The removal efficiency of OII degradation in the Bi₂MoO₆-CuS/PS/vis system reached to 98% within 80 min, which was much higher than that of either Bi₂MoO₆ or CuS alone. A feasible mechanism analysis of OII degradation was proposed and validated by simple classical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The high removal efficiency by the nanocomposite could be attributed to highly active species of O₂^·-, ·OH and SO₄^•- radicals in the Bi₂MoO₆-CuS photocatalytic oxidation system. Moreover, the composite material retained its activation performance even after 5 degradation cycles, which suggested its high stability.

Activation of Na2S2O8 by α-Fe2O3/CuS composite oxides for the degradation of Orange II under visible light irradiation

Layered α-Fe2O3/CuS nanoflowers with abundant active sites were synthesized by a hydrothermal method.

Nanotechnology in Wastewater Management: A New Paradigm Towards Wastewater Treatment

Clean and safe water is a fundamental human need for multi-faceted development of society and a thriving economy. Brisk rises in populations, expanding industrialization, urbanization and extensive agriculture practices have resulted in the generation of wastewater which have not only made the water dirty or polluted, but also deadly. Millions of people die every year due to diseases communicated through consumption of water contaminated by deleterious pathogens. Although various methods for wastewater treatment have been explored in the last few decades but their use is restrained by many limitations including use of chemicals, formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), time consumption and expensiveness. Nanotechnology, manipulation of matter at a molecular or an atomic level to craft new structures, devices and systems having superior electronic, optical, magnetic, conductive and mechanical properties, is emerging as a promising technology, which has demonstrated remarkable feats in various fields including wastewater treatment. Nanomaterials encompass a high surface to volume ratio, a high sensitivity and reactivity, a high adsorption capacity, and ease of functionalization which makes them suitable for application in wastewater treatment. In this article we have reviewed the techniques being developed for wastewater treatment using nanotechnology based on adsorption and biosorption, nanofiltration, photocatalysis, disinfection and sensing technology. Furthermore, this review also highlights the fate of the nanomaterials in wastewater treatment as well as risks associated with their use.

Microbial synthesis of Cu7S4/rGO nanocomposites with efficient photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl green

Cu₇S₄/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) photocatalysts are attracting increasing interest because of their low cost and environmental friendliness.

Enhanced heterogeneous catalytic ozonation of pharmaceutical pollutants using a novel nanostructure of iron-based mineral prepared via plasma technology: A comparative study

Plasma-treated goethite nanoparticles with high surface area and improved density of surface hydroxyl groups were synthesized from natural goethite (NG) using Argon (PTG-Ar) and Nitrogen (PTG-N₂) as plasma environment to enhance the performance of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation process. Synthesized samples were characterized by FESEM, EDX, TEM, XRD, XPS, BET-BJH, FTIR, AAS and pH_PZC. Results indicated a significantly different morphology for the prepared samples with negligible change in crystal structure. Furthermore, the catalytic activity and synergy factor of the NG and PTG nanocatalysts were evaluated for degradation and mineralization of Sulfasalazine antibiotic (SSZ) as an environmental hazardous contaminant. The highest removal efficiency was achieved 96.05 % under the optimal operating conditions. The kinetic study confirmed the pseudo-first-order reaction for the degradation process. Moreover, the dissolved ozone concentration and effect of organic and inorganic salts were studied in order to assess the reactive oxidant species (ROSs) and catalyst active sites in the process. The mechanism investigation showed the catalytic ozonation of SSZ was mainly performed by successive attacks of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), superoxide radicals (O₂^-) and direct ozone molecules. Environmentally-friendly modification of the NG, negligible iron leaching, successive reusability and superior catalytic activity are the major benefits of the PTG nanoparticles.

Efficient degradation of rhodamine B by magnetically separable ZnS-ZnFe2O4 composite with the synergistic effect from persulfate

Novel ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ composites were successfully synthesized via a simple and green hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the synthesized composite proved the presence of both ZnS and ZnFe₂O₄. The other characteristics of the composites were further characterized in detail using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The performance of ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ in the presence of persulfate (PS, K₂S₂O₈) as a co-catalyst was tested for degrading rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light illumination. ZnS-ZnFe₂O₄ composites could remove about 97.67% of RhB in 90 min, which was much higher removal than either ZnS or ZnFe₂O₄ alone. Moreover, the recovery of catalyst and its recycling performance were found to be good after testing three times. A feasible mechanism analysis of RhB degradation was validated by simple classical quenching experiments. The enhanced performance was attributed to the high-efficiency separation rate of photo induced electron-hole pairs and highly active free radicals of O₂^-, OH and SO₄^-.

Zr-Modified ZnO for the Selective Oxidation of Cinnamaldehyde to Benzaldehyde

ZnO and Zr-modified ZnO were prepared using a precipitation method and used for the selective oxidation of cinnamaldehyde to benzaldehyde in the present study. The results showed that physicochemical properties of ZnO were significantly affected by the calcination temperature, and calcination of ZnO at 400 °C demonstrated the optimum catalytic activity for the selective oxidation of cinnamaldehyde to benzaldehyde. With 0.01 g ZnO calcined at 400 °C for 2 h as a catalyst, 8.0 g ethanol and 2.0 g cinnamaldehyde reacted at an oxygen pressure of 1.0 MPa and 70 °C for 60 min, resulting in benzaldehyde selectivity of 69.2% and cinnamaldehyde conversion of 16.1%. Zr was the optimal modifier for ZnO: when Zr-modified ZnO was used as the catalyst, benzaldehyde selectivity reached 86.2%, and cinnamaldehyde conversion was 17.6%. The X-ray diffractometer and N2 adsorption–desorption characterization indicated that doping with Zr could reduce the crystallite size of ZnO (101) and increase the specific surface area of the catalyst, which provided more active sites for the reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectrometer results showed that Zr-doping could exchange the electrons with ZnO and reduce the electron density in the outer layer of Zn, which would further affect benzaldehyde selectivity. The results of CO2 temperature-programmed desorption showed that Zr-modification enhanced the alkalinity of the catalyst surface, which caused the Zr–ZnO catalyst to exhibit higher catalytic activity.

Investigations on synthesis, characterization and humidity sensing properties of ZnO and ZnO-ZrO2 composite nanoparticles prepared by ultrasonic assisted wet chemical method

In the present investigations, Zinc oxide (ZnO) and ZnO-ZrO₂ composite nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasonic assisted wet chemical method to investigate their structural, optical and humidity sensing properties. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by the techniques like X ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). XRD and EDS were employed to confirm the phase formation and phase purity respectively. SEM micrographs showed that morphology of the parent compound ZnO is considerably changed with varying concentration of ZrO₂. The optical absorption spectra showed that optical absorption of ZnO decreases with increase in ZrO₂ content in the composite. The observed band gap values for ZnO and ZnO-ZrO₂ composites were higher as compared to the bulk sample. The humidity sensing performance was substantiated for all the samples and the result of effect of concentration of ZrO₂ in ZnO-ZrO₂ composites on sensitivity, response and recovery time are discussed in detail.

Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Grown on Cellulose/GO Hydrogels as Advanced Catalytic Materials for the Heterogeneous Fenton-like Reaction

Cellulose/graphene oxide (GO)/iron oxide (Fe3O4) composites were prepared by coprecipitating iron salts onto cellulose/GO hydrogels in a basic solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction characterization showed that Fe3O4 was successfully coated on GO sheets and cellulose. Cellulose/GO/Fe3O4 composites showed excellent catalytic activity by maintaining almost 98% of the removal of acid orange 7 (AO7) and showed stability over 20 consecutive cycles. This performance is attributable to the synergistic effect of Fe3O4 and GO during the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction. Especially, the cellulose/GO/Fe3O4 composites preserve their activity by keeping the ratio of Fe3+/Fe2+ at 2 even after 20 catalysis cycles, which is supported by XPS analysis.

Ag/CdO NP-Engineered Magnetic Electrochemical Aptasensor for Prostatic Specific Antigen Detection

A simple magnetic electrochemical aptasensor was established for the detection of prostatic specific antigen (PSA). Ag/CdO nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated and exhibited strong electroreduction peaks at -1.07 V, attributing to the electron transfer from Cd²⁺ to Cd⁰ and the superior electron transportation of Ag. Aptamer-modified Ag/CdO NPs were assembled on the surface of superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄/graphene oxide nanosheets (GO/Fe₃O₄ NSs) through the hydrophobic and π-π stacking interaction of aptamers and GO NSs. These assemblies possessed superior electroactive properties, efficient electron transfer, and superparamagnetic response and could serve as sensing units for PSA detection with the aid of a magnetic electrode. With increasing concentrations of PSA, the high affinity of aptamers to PSA enabled the dissociation of Ag/CdO NPs from GO/Fe₃O₄ NSs, decreasing the intensity of electroreduction peaks. The Ag/CdO NP-engineered magnetic electrochemical aptasensor achieved sensitive and accurate detection of PSA in the range of 50 pg/mL to 50 ng/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 28 pg/mL. This developed protocol can be extended to a large set of strong electroactive labels for reliable tumor biomarker detection with high sensitivity and specificity.

Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of lindane using metal-semiconductor Zn@ZnO and ZnO/Ag nanostructures

To achieve enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of lindane, we prepared metal-semiconductor composite nanoparticles (NPs). Zn@ZnO core-shell (CS) nanocomposites, calcined ZnO, and Ag-doped ZnO (ZnO/Ag) nanostructures were prepared using pulsed laser ablation in liquid, calcination, and photodeposition methods, respectively, without using surfactants or catalysts. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. In addition, elemental analysis was performed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The obtained XRD and morphology results indicated good dispersion of Zn and Ag NPs on the surface of the ZnO nanostructures. Investigation of the photocatalytic degradation of lindane under UV-vis irradiation showed that Zn@ZnO CS nanocomposites exhibit higher photocatalytic activity than the other prepared samples. The maximum degradation rate of lindane was 99.5% in 40min using Zn@ZnO CS nanocomposites. The radical trapping experiments verified that the hydroxyl radical (·OH) was the main reactive species for the degradation of lindane.

Sonoprecipitation dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles over graphene oxide used in photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution: Influence of irradiation time and power

In this paper, ZnO/Graphene Oxide (ZnO/GO) is synthesized via ultrasound assisted precipitation method and the effect of power and ultrasound time irradiation is studied on photocatalyst properties. The synthesized samples are used for methylene blue (MB) degradation as an organic water pollutant. Physicochemical properties of the samples are investigated by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET-BJH, FTIR and DRS techniques. Moreover, pH_pzc of the sample with the best performance is calculated to study the effect of acidity on the photocatalyst efficiency in photocatalytic process. Ultrasound has a positive effect on photocatalyst performance that is because of its effect on distribution of particles and semiconductor band gap, but it has no effect on photostability of the nanocomposite. Sonication has modified distribution of particles by enhancing the active sites for oxidation process. Making structural gaps by ultrasound irradiation increases available surface area which has a similar effect on photocatalyst performance. Graphene oxide as electron collector and transporter prevents electron-hole recombination and it can be an acceptable reason for enhancement at photocatalyst performance. Finally, some of operational parameters such as pH, photocatalyst loading and dye concentration are investigated.

Effect of the calcination process on CdO-ZnO nanocomposites by a honey-assisted combustion method for antimicrobial performance

This work reports on honey as a combustion agent of CdO : ZnO nanocomposites and the effects of further annealing (100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C) on their structural, optical, morphological, elemental, electrical and antimicrobial properties are investigated. X-ray diffraction spectra confirm the cubic and hexagonal structure of CdO : ZnO nanocomposites at 400 °C. When the calcination temperature was increased, the crystallinity, absorbance, bandgap, luminescence intensity, morphological dispersion and mean particle size were also increased. HR-TEM imaging confirmed spherical particles with an average particle size of ∼49 nm. The electrical conductivity of the CdO : ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. The antimicrobial activity of CdO : ZnO nanocomposites was tested for various bacterial and fungal organisms using a zone inhibition method.

Sonocatalytic performance of magnetically separable CuS/CoFe2O4 nanohybrid for efficient degradation of organic dyes

The sonocatalytic activity of the magnetic CuS/CoFe₂O₄ (CuS/CFO) nanohybrid was studied through the H₂O₂-assisted system for degradation of water soluble organic pollutants such as methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO). The CuS/CFO nanohybrid was fabricated at 200 °C by hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV-Vis spectroscopy, magnetic measurements, and Brunauere-Emmette-Teller (BET) were employed for the characterizing the structure and morphology of the so-synthesized nanohybrid. Compared with sonolysis/H₂O₂, the higher degradation of MB (25 mg/L) was achieved via sonocatalytic process. The degradation efficiency of sonolysis/H₂O₂, sonocatalysis using CuS/H₂O₂, CFO/H₂O₂ and CuS/CFO/H₂O₂ systems was 6%, 62%, 23% and 100% within reaction time of 30 min for MB, respectively. The integration of H₂O₂ and catalyst dosage intensified the sonocatalytic degradation of MB. On the other hand, adding a hydroxyl radical (OH) scavenger (tert-butyl alcohol) and a hole scavenger (disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate) decreased the degradation efficiency from 100% to 35% and 72% within 30 min, indicating the OH radicals as prominent oxidizing agent of this process. Furthermore, the magnetic property of the sample helped for easier separation of the nanohybrid, made it recyclable with a negligible decline in the performance even after four consecutive runs.

Ultrasound assisted dispersion of Bi2Sn2O7-C3N4 nanophotocatalyst over various amount of zeolite Y for enhanced solar-light photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline in aqueous solution

Bi₂Sn₂O₇-C₃N₄/Y nanophotocatalyst with various ratios of zeolite and high activity under simulated solar light irradiation were successfully synthesized using ultrasound-assisted dispersion method. The effect of different amounts of zeolite (10, 20 and 30 wt%) on the photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic tetracycline was investigated. The as-prepared nanophotocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, EDX, BET, FTIR, DRS and pH_pzc techniques. The degradation results demonstrated that, Bi₂Sn₂O₇-C₃N₄/Y(10) nanophotocatalyst with a degradation efficiency of about 80.4% is an optimum sample. This result can be attributed to the zeolite as a support that prevented the accumulation of Bi₂Sn₂O₇-C₃N₄ active phase and increased access to active sites. Furthermore, it enhanced the adsorption capacity of tetracycline on the photocatalyst surface; that it is beneficial for tetracycline photocatalytic oxidation. Also the results of the DRS analysis indicated that the sharp absorption edge for optimum sample Bi₂Sn₂O₇-C₃N₄/Y at about 480 nm and was active in the visible light range. Eventually, different operational parameters such as photocatalyst loading, concentrations of pollutant and pH solution were investigated. In addition, the degradation mechanism was suggested for TC removal.

Sono-precipitation of Ag2CrO4-C composite enhanced by carbon-based materials (AC, GO, CNT and C3N4) and its activity in photocatalytic degradation of acid orange 7 in water

Enhancing the photocatalytic activity of Ag₂CrO₄ with coupled carbon-based materials like activated carbon, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes and carbon nitride has been investigated in removal of Acid Orange 7 from wastewater. Sono precipitated Ag₂CrO₄-C composite based photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, FESEM, FTIR and UV-vis DRS and the photocatalytic activity of theses samples was evaluated in terms of degradation amount of acid orange 7 under visible light irradiations. BET analysis showed that with addition of carbon based materials, the specific surface area of the Ag₂CrO₄-C composite increased. XRD analysis indicated that the crystallinity of Ag₂CrO₄ peaks decreased after addition of all studied carbon-based materials and C₃N₄ has lowered the crystallinity of Ag₂CrO₄ less than others. Higher crystallinity has the positive effect of higher photocatalytic activity because among above mentioned composites, Ag₂CrO₄-C₃N₄ photocatalyst exhibited higher photocatalytic activity and stability under visible light irradiations. DRS analysis confirmed good match of electronic structures of Ag₂CrO₄ and C₃N₄. On the other hand Ag₂CrO₄ and C₃N₄ formed heterojunction which separates photo-generated electron-hole pairs effectively. Also evaluation of photocatalytic reaction in various operating parameters showed Ag₂CrO₄-C₃N₄ had the highest photocatalytic activity in neutral pH and 1g/L of catalyst loading.

One-pot combustion fabrication of grain-like mesoporous intra-heterostructure BixOyClz nanophotocatalyst with substantial solar-light-driven degradation of antibiotic ofloxacin: influence of various fuels

Photocatalytic degradation of ofloxacin over the intra-heterostructure of grain-like Bi_xO_yCl_z nanophotocatalyst fabricated via one-pot solution combustion synthesis at low temperatures.